Michaela Williams’ mom says she hopes the court gives the man accused of killing her 12-year-old daughter more than a life sentence.
Beatrice Adams, 41, spoke to the Daily Voice as she prepares to testify in aggravation of sentencing in the Western Cape High Court today.
“At the end of this emotional rollercoaster, I would like the man who took my child away from me to spend more than life in prison... so he cannot harm another child,” she says.
“And he has to plead guilty, there is no other way he can plead except for guilty.”
This morning the National Prosecuting Authority expects Steven Fortune to plead guilty to the rape and murder of the 12-year-old child he lived two doors away from.
Regional spokesman Eric Ntabazalila says: “He will plead guilty in terms of Section 112(2) of the Criminal Procedure Act.
“This means the accused pleads guilty to the charges, the State advises the court whether it accepts the facts upon which he is pleading guilty or not.
“If the court is satisfied he is indeed pleading guilty to all the elements of the crimes, and if the state accepts the facts, then he will be convicted on the charges.
“Then parties will lead evidence and address the court in mitigation and aggravation of sentence. Then the judge decides on the appropriate sentence.”
Michaela was playing outside her New Horizon home in Pelican Park when she vanished around 7pm on the evening of 7 January this year.
Her mom went to the police to report her missing 30 minutes later.
It is alleged that while Beatrice was looking for her child, Fortune had taken her to a vacant plot along 9th Avenue in Schaapkraal.
The accused allegedly killed the schoolgirl by bashing her head with two concrete blocks and then tied her hands with her own vest before raping her.
Fortune was previously sentenced to 20 years behind bars for the rape and attempted murder of an eight-year-old girl.